ORLANDO — The Orlando Magic’s final preseason game had a little bit of everything for the fans at the Kia Center to enjoy. 

Desmond Bane’s first game on his new home floor, a Jalen Suggs sighting during shootaround (though he did not play), and a healthy dose of the roster’s key players as the Magic won a 132-125 shootout against New Orleans Pelicans, who had plenty of their own firepower in Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy III and Jordan Poole. 

The win closes the door on the preseason in which Orlando went 4-0 while scoring 120-plus points in each contest. This victory, however, feels like the best of all the exhibitions for All-Star forward Paolo Banchero. 

“I thought we played together,” Banchero said after the game. “I thought it was probably our best team effort of the preseason. Yeah, things we could clean up, but it was a good effort, you know, good building block going into opening night.” 

Banchero led the team with 29:37 of playing time, going head-to-head with Williamson (18 PTS, 9-11 FG) and posting a 19-point, 10-rebound double-double to go along with two blocks. Meanwhile, three other players joined Banchero in crossing the 25-minute mark, one of which was Bane, who scored 11 points in his home debut. 

During Thursday morning’s shootaround, Bane emphasized the team’s pursuit of building habits, one of which includes sharing the ball. The Magic succeeded in their efforts to be unselfish through the game, dishing out 33 assists. 

I love the way we shared the basketball,” coach Jamahl Mosley said. “I think 33 assists is a great number for us. We played very unselfish.” 

Orlando held the Pelicans to 24 assists while forcing 15 turnovers. However, the Magic were outscored in the paint (72-56), second chance points (20-15) and fast break points (15-14). They also squandered a 19-point lead and gave up 15 turnovers as well, indicating areas to improve in. 

“The tendencies of guys and them having 72 points in the paint,” Mosley added. “Understanding the way they play, being able to create a wall a little earlier.” 

“If we're gonna push the pace and share the basketball the way we are, we gotta make sure we're doing it on the other end as well.” 

It is a sentiment that Banchero echoes. 

“I think just focus on getting back low to the ball,” Banchero said. “We face teams that have guys that can get the paint, making sure that we're showing them length early, showing their bodies early, trying to discourage them from not showing all the paint.” 

In having the forefront of the rotation playing heavier minutes, Mosley was challenging their level of conditioning, an aspect of preparation he has preached throughout training camp. With five days between Thursday's win and the season opener, Mosley is looking to balance rest and work. 

“I think we gotta manage the right amount of recovery with the right amount of work,” Mosley said. “Those guys played extended minutes tonight to try to just do that, that last four minute stint was to see, have them just burn it out a little bit to get their conditioning where we need it to be.” 

“I think that's gonna be the focus of these next four or five days is to get the recovery that we need, but also to be able to push the limits a little bit.” 

The Magic will host the Miami Heat on Oct. 22 at 7 p.m. to open the regular season.